A Prisoner's Tale
by hippiechic1967
Summary: When Rumpelstiltskin is thrown in the dungeon of a castle belonging to a rather unruly King, there is a young woman hired to be his serving maid. Together, they form a loving friendship, all until Rumple decides to mess with love.
1. Chapter 1

"A new hire! A new hire!" called the squire, in his young, somewhat English accent. A young girl, no more than twenty, stepped up.

"A hire, at the castle?"

"Yes, madam."

"What's the position?"

Any job at the palace was a great one.

"Serving maid."

Her eyes widened as she quickly asked "Really?"

"Yes, yes."

"Take me!" The young boy totted up to the castle, with the girl in towe.

Once they hiked it up the hill to the castle, the guards let in the squire and the girl. She was appointed the serving maid of their only prisoner. A relativity devilish man who had enough magic power to twist just about anything he pleased. Except escape his royal imprisonment.

She had been his serving maid for close to a week, before he began to beg her to stay, loving every second of human interaction. Especially hers, the beautiful lady she was.

"Please, but I am just a lonely old prisoner, you could spare a moment to stay to speak to me." he would beg, with a radiating grin.

"Oh, why not..." She would then stay for hours. When she finally tried to leave, she tried to get away, but he, once again, begs her to stay. So she began to quickly mutter "I really /can't/ stay..."

"But miss, it's strange out there..." He would reply.

"I really must stray..."

"Oh, give me your hand..."

"But if we're caught, it'll be my head..."

"It'll be mine before yours..." he warned her.

"But I can't risk it..." she would retort.

"Oh yes you can..."

"But sir you don't understand..."

And as his long nails burrowed into her skin, she gulped, as she tore way.

"I will be back, sir."

"Rumpelstiltskin..." He would drawl, correcting her for the first time. "At your service." He flashed her his Cheshire grin.

That was the first time he had told her name, since she took the position. No one knew his name. Except for her, one of a select few.

She quickly muttered "Ah, yes...goodbye." As she left, running through the corridors.

In the morning, she returned with breakfast. He jumped down from his perch on the wall.

"Good morning, Miss..." he was stuck on the /s/. "What have you brought for me, Dearie?"

"See for yourself." she slid his plate through. "What do you want to talk about today?" she asked.

He tore away at his food, as he growled "Much and little."

As he ate and watched her intently, he spoke "I feel alone. Comfortless. I miss /people/."

She gave him an odd stare, as if to say 'And your point?', but she kept silent.

"And I know you have a key to my confinement here..." he tore off a bite of meat.

"I also really like you, Dearie." With a glimmer in his eye, he set down the ham hock he was gnawing away at, and came up to the railing.

"You, Dearie," he stroked her face "are my key."

she asked quietly "Key to what, exactly?"

"Freedom." she gazed at his yellow-hazed eyes.

"You're a complete bat, sir."

"Well at least /you/ have the respect to call me 'Sir.' " he spit out.

With a gleam in his eye, he threw his hand through the steel bars that separated him and the girl, and grabbed her bum.

"Mister!" she yelped.

As she pulled away, he snickered evily, then turned around to go plop himself against the wall on the other side of the cell.

She charged the cell gate, gripping a bar in each hand as she yelled "And what was that?"

"That," he pointed at her "Was the most fun I've had in weeks."

She glared at him, most certainly angry.

"If you so much as touch me in a sexual way again, I-" she was cut off when he said "You'll what, Madam?"

He grinned, a smile that made her heart absolutely flutter. "I-I don't know..."

She was putty in his hands. He got back up, and approached her, for a second go around.

"If by sexual," he grasped the bars. "Would this count?"

He snakily slid his slimy arms around her.

She gulped, as she tried to get her words out. "Erm, Yes." Her eyes were full of fear...and lust. She had quite an attraction to this man, even though he was simply a prisoner, but he was charming, and lovely in every way.

As she tried ever-so-elegantly to get away from his grasp, his grip only got tighter.

"Don't even try it on me, sir..." she moaned. His arms moved further down with each passing second.

Her mind was racing. "Please...stop it." she pushed on his arms, digging in her long nails; Anything to get him to release. She was feeling threatened, if not for her security, but sanity. If this horse play continued, she just might collapse from sheer excitement.

She tried to back away, but he only pulled her closer. With each breath that he heavily panted out, his devious mind grew greater with devilish thoughts of ways to get a rise out of her.

Soon, they heard a call.

"Vora?"

Then Rumpelstiltskin thought aloud "It's the ignorant squire boy..."

They heard him call yet again, "Vora? It's been an hour, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine!" she pinched Rumpelt lightly on his chest, he backed away in pain as she ran to meet the bewildered squire boy.

She whispered "I'll be back later." As she took off toward the rest of the castle.

He snickered sickly as he watched her hips sway as she ran off. He knew that she was enjoying their time all-too-well, and could only dream of what he could convince her to do. Maybe even unlock him from his imprisonment, and carry on elsewhere.

He was shaken from his dirty thoughts when he heard a yelp, "John!" he could hear Vora scream, delightfully. His anger grew at a rapid pace, when he knew what the dumb squire was probably doing to /his/ maid.

"That bloody bastard, I'll kill him!" he balled his hand into a fist, and cracked his knuckles. "He will die..."

Rumpelt had anger problems.

He continued to hear their joyful yelps and screams as they ran throughout the castle, only inches above him. He screamed in anger as he shook the rod iron gates.

As he shook and took out his anger, he felt the lock shimmy out of place. That gave him an idea.

"I'll show that little fox what's /really/ coming to him..."

He sneakily slid the bars open, and wandered out of his cell, giggling.

"I'm out," he whispered to himself. "Now I'll just wait." His evil plan would be a great one. It was all just timing.


	2. Chapter 2

As he peered out a few windows, and just exercised his freedom, he shut himself back in his cage, but did not slam it shut to lock it.

Then he waited.

And waited.

And waited for 3 hours, when darkness had fallen, and he knew the whole castle was sleeping. Then he slid the cell gate open once more, and made his way up two flights of steps, wandering silently, looking for the squire boys' room.

It took him a little over 15 minutes to locate the stone room, a mere 40 feet from his own chamber. But it was still nicer than his room...A silly prisoner he was.

As Rumpelt pulled a stick, fashioned of cherry wood from his pocket, he cast a spell over John, the squire boy, that of which turned him to stone.

Temporarily, yes. But as he did so, he said "A heart of stone I may have, but a body of stone you must endure. She is mine, Sonny. And I won't let you change that."

He grinned so sickly as he looked at the sleeping form. In the morning, as he awoke, he would slowly begin to transform.


	3. Chapter 3

In the morning, Vora went down to the prisoner's quarters as she did every morning, to find his cell empty. "Rumpelstiltskin, sir?" she called.

No reply.

"Sir?" she peered into his cell. Empty. The tray and plates in her hands soon clattered to the ground, and she panted out "Oh, no..." As she took off to tell someone. She didn't know what to do.

Vora ran up the steps, as fast as she could, to the first place she thought she could seek help. John's room.

"John!" she threw herself into his room. As he turn over in his cot, he told her "Vora, I don't feel right..." His face looked bleak.

"Rumpelstiltskin's not in his cell!"

"He isn't?" his eyes went wide. "Vora, you've got to find him, you don't know what he's capable of. Just find him. He trusts you."

She gulped as she walked over to his bed, and placed her arms around him, giving him a quick hug. But he winced, and said "Vora...my muscles seem tight today..."

He struggled to sit up.

"Well, it's probably from all the running around yesterday. You'll feel better soon." she patted his shoulder. "I'll go look for Rumple. Feel better, John!"

She ran off, searching ever square inch of the castle, and to no avail, did not find him. She gulped as she leaned up on a wall, when a guard spotted her.

"Ah, the prison maid...What are you doing up /here/?" he winked at her. Many men in the building fancied her.

"Uhm, just wandering around..." she lied through her teeth. If anyone found out about the missing prisoner, she would die. Executed. Instantly.

To cover her trail, Vora ran back down to the cell, hoping to see him to have wondered back in.

But he did not. So she cleaned up her mess, and made it look like he had eaten. She set the tray and bowl as well as silver ware in a not-so-orderly fashion and left it to try to find him, yet again. This time, she tired the outdoors.

After an hour and a half, she spotted a dark haired man in ragged clothes sitting in hay stack.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she yelled, as she stomped over.

At the sound of his name, he turned his head, and grinned. "Yes, my pet?"

She walked over and sat down next to him, trying not to scare him off. Yelling at this Imp would get her nowhere.

So she sat down, and rubbed her eyes, whilst asking "And what gave you the great idea to run off?"

"Oh, that is some information I cannot announce. Yet, anyhow."

"C'mon, sir. We gotta go back. You don't want us both to die, do you?" He tilted his head sideways quizzically, as he replied "No..."

She took him by the wrist, and dragged him home.

As she put him back in his cell, Vora said "Just stay in here, and I promise I'll let you out sometime. Just don't let /yourself/ out. You almost gave me a heart attack today!"

He huffed, then down ran a different squire. Adam. "Vora, something's wrong with John!" she looked at him, gulped, and said "Take me to him."

As she ran off, Rumpel began to scream and yell, yet again.

"He'll be gone soon enough. She'll need comfort, and I'll be here, waiting..."

Up in his room, John lay in his cot, not moving. She rushed to his side. "John, are you okay?"

"Nah..." was all he could get out. His skin was a greying color, and he could barley breath. What they didn't know was, his legs were already pure stone, and it was taking the rest of his body by storm.

Within minutes, his face too changed from warm skin to cold, hard stone. At this sight, Vora was terrified. This was a friend, whom she had seen transform from a boy to a statue. She felt hot tears breech her eye, and Adam trying to comfort her.

She burrowed her face into Adam's chest as she watched two other squires, making that 4 in all, take him away. Now there were only 3.

The next few days had been long and strange for Vora. Without John, and the terrifying memory of watching him switch forms etched forever in her mind, she was left rather unstable.

So that translated into needing some kind of human interaction, someone to console her. And Rumpelstiltskin was the perfect candidate. Not only for his availability, but because she had no one else. The 3 squires were almost always busy, and she had no family, or friends. So many long hours she spent in Rumpelt's world, in the stone room.

One night, she had even passed out in the room because it was so late. This was exactly what he'd hoped for. A beautiful girl, with him and him alone.

That night, he sat as close to the gate as he could, and stroked her hair, as well as agile her face. The gleam in his eye was precious.

Soon, Vora would bring extra food or activities for them to do. They tried shaking open the door, but it would never budge. He just got lucky that one night.

As they sat into the long hours of the night, suspicion was growing elsewhere in the castle, as to why the girl would spend so much time around such a dark and sinister person. Other maids would ask what she found so interesting in him, but she would usually just write them off, and reply "He's just lonely, so I keep him company." Some even wondered if she had made a deal to him.

One activity Rumpelt especially loved, was when she would bring some paper with her, and a drawing utensil. She drew him, and she was very good. He tried to draw her, and was alright. He bashed himself more than he drew, though.

She really loved drawing with him, because he would draw her silly things, and she would love to draw his intricate outfit. The scaled bits and the waves in his hair, and just the small things, like the buttons, even.

Soon, he became fascinated with her long, flowing hair. It was her one unique aptitude. She never tied it away, or back, or messed with it much, like so many other girls did, but she let her honey colored hair just lay on her back.

He would ask her to lean up on the gates, and he would weave her hair into tight, but elegant braids. He absolutely adored the color.

As he braided, she would hum. It was very soothing to her; He never yanked her hair, or cut it, like so many barbers had wanted to. That was a part of the reason it had stayed the way it had, she trusted no one. Her hair was very important to her.

"You hair is such a lovely color..." He would comment so very often. "It shines like...Gold." she would thank him, and he would continue. They had fun passing the time.

Since he was solid stone, John was moved into the garden; A mortified look permanently set on his face. No one knew what to do with him. Daily, Vora would visit the statue, and leave flowers by it. She wanted to know what had caused him. It had to have been magic. It couldn't have been a disease, like the physician said. He told her it was some disease that over took his body, crystallizing the cell structures. She knew better.

It worried her so, she even mentioned it to Rumple, who wrote it off, playing dumb. She didn't need to know. Not yet.

They had become quite the smitten pair, Vora and Rumpelt. They were known throughout the castle as being 'Good friends' as some would say. She was taking very good care of him; She began to bathe him better, feed him more, she gave him affection, and actually listened to him when he needed her the most.

Frankly, he was turning into quite the man. Clean, well groomed, all thanks to her. She was also teaching him to not be so angry all the time. She would tell him "Breath, Rumpelt. Breath."

The sound of her voice was so soothing to him, it would send him into a transitive state, almost. Rumpelstiltskin was madly in love with Vora, and he would do anything to have her for his own.

Absolutely anything.

Soon, Vora was deeming a plan of her own. "Rumpelt," she began one day.

"Yes, dearie?" he asked, not moving his eager eye away from what he was concentrated on - an actual newspaper she had brought him.

"How would you feel if I let you out of the cell?" He looked up.

"What?" He asked, bewildered.

"I could get you out! Hold on," she got up. "I'm gonna go ask Adam about it..." she trotted off, hoping she could 'walk him'.

A grin grew. If he could get out and about, he could make a few /stops/ along the way. He /did/ need some new clothes, and while he was at it, maybe a few items he could throw together to make some new potion. Oh, what a grand day it was going to be.

As he conceived his evil notions, Vora came running back, as she said "Adam told me he'll consider it, but I begged...I think he just may let you out, Rumple!" His eyes widened as they shared a hug through the gate. She said "Wait until we can do that without that gate, Eh?"

"It will certainly be different." He almost sang.

"You know Vora," The two sat down. "You're one of the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on." She looked down at her apron, trying to hide her infatuated grin, as she replied "Why thank you, Rumples..." He treated her like a princess.

After careful study by a doctor, the King gave Vora the okay to take him out and about, as long as he stayed in the court yard, and didn't leave the castle premises, or she would be executed. Immediately. Vora knew she could trust him, but everyone else thought her crazy. "I will prove them wrong. Rumpelstiltskin is a good man." She constantly told herself.

For the first time since he had gotten tossed in his cell, Rumpelstiltskin ate warm food. Soup, as a matter-of-fact. Barley soup, that Vora had prepared for him. He lapped it up like a dog. He was enjoying it so that it almost /burned/ him.

"Thank you, Vora. Many thanks to you, my dear." After he finished his soup, Adam came out of practically nowhere, and unlocked his gate. Rumpelt just stood there, then simultaneously, both Rumpelt and Vora advanced toward each other, ready to /finally/ share their hug.

As they embraced, Rumpelstiltskin lifted Vora off the ground, and spun her in circles, he was finally free to be next to his girl. Adam gave them a sideways glace, and Vora just giggled. She was so happy.


	4. Chapter 4

As they roamed, Vora would ever-so-often clasp hands with him, and they would continue on their journey. Until they came into the center of the kingdom, where there was a market being held. Many saw the man with the golden skin. Some screamed, some ran, many feared him. He was the Dark One. The one whom parents had told children never to make contact with.

And then there was also the lamb of the kingdom. The pure, sweet girl many knew, holding hands with the delinquent creature.

As everyone fled, Rumpelstiltskin slowly mewed "No..." then louder, he cried out "No!" A tear fell down his face, leaving a line of Gold-less skin, replaced with a tan, leather-like, non-sparkling flesh tone. He held onto Vora, as she walked him into a corner, letting him try to get a hold onto what had just happened. This was devastating to him. Seeing the whole kingdom in fear, all due to him.

As he sat, Rumpelstiltskin had so many thoughts running through his cranium, he didn't say a word. His mouth would twitch out of place, giving Vora the impression that he was about to say something, but he just sat there, silent.

Remorse.

That's what over took him. He sat there, in deep remorse. "I'm so sorry, Vora..." was all that he had said.

"No, no Rumpelt." she replied. "Don't be sorry." She hugged him, as he continued "I've let so many down; You, Baelfire, John..."

"Baelfire?" she asked. "Bae...my son..."

Her face lost all expression "You have a son?"

"He's long gone, m'dear. He went away, and never returned."

He had had a son. That was almost startling news to her, yet intriguing.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry." That was when she noticed the line in his face. "Rumple...your skin, it's not gold!"

"What?" He wiped another tear from his eye. "Of course it's gold. Don't play such a harsh trick on me."

"No, no, c'mon!" She stood up, and he followed, as she ran back to the castle, looking for some sort of mirror.

When he saw it, he screamed. "I'm not gold! Only in one place, but I'm not gold! Aha! Vora!" he jumped up and down excitedly, almost dancing.

As they rejoiced, Adam came down into the prison in a rush. "Vora, what just happened down in the market?"

Her expression died. Gulping, she explained what had happened. "The people fled. They saw me with him, and they fled."

"I'm hearing stories of him threatening people and holding a dagger to your throat!" He grabbed Rumpelt by his shirt collar. "You bastard, you do anything to hurt her, I will kill you/myself/!"

"Adam!" she grasped his shoulder, "He didn't do anything! The people were scared of him, yet he didn't do a thing! We were just talking, then the screams began!" Falling to her knees, she begged "Don't hurt him, please..."

Adam released Rumpelt with a toss to the ground. As he stormed off, knowing Vora was safe, he finished, saying "Rumpelstiltskin, you remember my threat." Adam's eyes lowered to slits as he eyed the prisoner. "You're not allowed back out. Ever."

He slumped back in his cell, Vora leaning on the gate.

"Rumple...I'm really sorry." she said.

"It's alright m'dear..." He was torn apart inside. The people of his own village. People he had known his whole life, people he had known before this curse rampaged his body, his kin, all ran and screamed. They thought he was doing horrible things to Vora, even spreading rumors of him putting her under the knife.

"I'm really the one who should be apologizing. Now the kingdom thinks you insane...I'm sorry dear."

"It's okay, Rumpelt. We're both sorry. But sorry for what...Nothing. That's what." Now Vora was also a social outcast.

They probably considered her the Dark One's affiliate, or slave even. She needed to figure out a way to change their opinions on him...Somehow.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Adam came down to check on her. He felt he owned it to John to protect Vora. She meant the world to him. And now that he wasn't around, it was Adam's responsibility.

He walked into the room, to see her leaning up against the rod-iron gate, snoozing, and Rumpelstiltskin's arm laced around her. He wrinkled up his lips at this sight. He didn't know whether to think it sweet, or repulsing.

Adam approached the two, then lifted Rumpelt's arm off of her. At the feeling of his hand hitting the cold, concrete floor, the Imp awoke to the vision of Adam lifting Vora bridal style, and taking her away from the dungeon. "Wait..." he moaned. But he was ignored. Adam carried Vora out of the stone room, and upstairs to the squire's quarters, and laid her on John's old bed.

She slept into the early hours of the morning, then awoke, questioning her surroundings. She scratched her head, then threw herself out of the bed. Vora hurriedly made her way to the kitchen, gathering food to serve to Rumpelstiltskin. She had become almost obsessed with the man. Or Imp.

It worried Adam.

The crazed man who had been locked away in the cell for reason was the apple of her eye. He didn't know to fear or be jealous. He chose fear. If the crazy fella had such a sick mind and powers, what would he be teaching the girl? she could be the devil child for all he knew, what if the crazy psycho had done something strange to her brain? What if he had made them blood relatives? Or he had made her his slave?

Each day he worked harder and harder to get her out of the cave down below, and get her away from him. He was a demon sent from Hell, and didn't know how to get rid of him. Adam wanted to murder him, but he knew being a squire he couldn't get away with it. So he thought he could possibly get him banished, but then he figured that Vora would follow him away. Which simply would not do...So he was stumped.

One morning, as she was conversing with Rumpelt about how badly he wanted to get out of this cage, Adam came down, huffing and puffing. He grabbed her wrist violently, and began to pull her away from the Imp.

"C'mon!" he yelled when she struggled to get up.

"What, Adam?"

"C'MON!" he yelled. "I'm getting you away from that sod..."

She tried to pull back, but his grip was inevitably tight. "Let me go, Adam! I can take care of meself!"

"No you can't! You've been locked down here with that arse for weeks! Almost months!" She then smelled alcohol on his breath.

She stopped pulling as she stated "Adam, you've been drinking."

"No I haven't!" he retorted. That only infuriated him. He started to tug again, and she was pulled to the ground, and yanked.

"Get up, you idiot!" He screamed. Her face was red, and Rumpelt was holding onto the bars, and as he watched his favorite, and only, girl suffer, he stuck his arm through the bars, and waved his index finger around, and Adam immediately let go, and was pulled, as if by magic, to the wall.

Vora pulled herself off the ground, and ran off, crashing into a wall along he way "I'll get help, I'll be back!" she ran along, red in the face, like a chicken with her head cut off.

Meanwhile, it took all his power in his forearms to hold Adam to the wall. Sure, he was using magic, but it felt as if he was holding him to the wall physically. With is own arms. "Please, Vora, Please hurry..." he grunted. It took every bit of energy he had to not let go.

Every ounce of power. And plus the fact he only had power filling him from about the elbows out, he was slowly failing, power dwindling. He didn't use it often, letting himself 're-charge' almost, but now he needed it more than ever. If Adam got out of his dead lock, haha. Rumpelstiltskin would be no more. Strangled to death in an instant by the brute. Cornered, powerless within the the confines of the cell walls.

As she returned with the two other guards, she yelled "Grab Adam! He's drunk, and he's violent!" As Rumpelt released Adam, he staggered toward the imp, as the two guards grabbed him by the arms, and took him away.

Adam fought them back, so they dragged him to the nearest cell, and locked him in it. Vora ran to Rumpelt's gate, and held him through the bars, she was crying. Rumpelstiltskin patted her back, and tried his best to hold her, then when seeing their struggle, Samuel, one of the two remaining /sober/ guards, unlocked them, feeling bad for Vora. He made her happy, and Sam knew it.

Sam was in all actuality, John's practical twin. Not by blood, by any means, but they acted alot alike. He just didn't have the same bond with Vora as John did.

Rumpelstiltskin held onto Vora as she quivered, scared by the sight of Adam, and the memory of what he had just done. Rumpelt stroked her hair, as he cooed "Hush, my dear."

As he held her, Adam shook the gates violently, yelling "VORA! GET AWAY FROM THAT ANIMAL! THINK ABOUT WHAT JOHN WANTED FOR YOU!" She turned, anger filling her veins. Walking to his cage, with Rumpelt's hand weaved in hers, she yelled "Do not take his name in vein!"

Adam threw his arms between the bars, trying to grab her. "Good luck, Adam. You're the real animal. /Not him/." She shook her head, her expressionless face continued to speak hateful words to him.

"/He/ showed me compassion when John died, you wrote me off like a piece of dust. Do not take John's name in vain, and most certainly do not dishonor Rumpelstiltskin. He is a good man."

Adam laughed.

"Words mean nothing to me, Missy. You should know that."

A sickening grin drew upon his face.

For saving her from a probably terrible fate, Sam let Vora bring Rumpelt up to the squire's chambers, taking Adam's old bed, as Vora took John's.


	6. Chapter 6

The King had no clue of Rumpelt's leave of his cage, except when the 3 squires were called before him, to discuss the week's to do's. When Adam did not show, the King questioned where his strongest, and favorite man was. Sam gulped as he looked at Tom.

"He's in the prison, your majesty." Sam and Tom bowed as they said.

The King was enraged. He stood to his feet, angry expression plastered on his face. "Why is my hand-picked squire in the PRISON?" he bellowed.

"He was drunk," began Tom, the quietest squire the King knew. "He was in a drunken rage, and threatened Vora. Her and Rumpelstiltskin are in our quarters now." As he heard the words breech the boy's lips, the King screamed.

"Why is a /prisoner/ out of his Prison Cell?"

Sam began "He is not a bad man, you majesty! He saved Vora, and us, from Adam! Adam's the one who should be in the prison, not the Golden One!"

"That man was locked away for a reason..." The King drawled angrily.

An hour had passed, as the two boys returned to their respectful room, greeted by the sight of Rumpelstiltskin sitting next to to Vora, whose legs were crossed, as she held her feet in her hands.

Sam and Tom haggled in, hair array with bewildered and twisted looks plastered upon their faces.

"You two okay?" asked Vora. Sam walked over, "Rumps." The Imp looked up. "Yes. You, sir. Down to the cell. Now. Before I lose my arse." He had a sarcastically persistent look to him. Rumpelt laughed and got up.

"Vora, stay here with Tom." spoke Sam, reluctantly. Tommy sat down next to her, and explained where Sam was taking him.

On the way down there, Sam threw an arm on Rumpelstiltskin's shoulder.

"So what did you do to the Queen to get the King so riled up?"

Rumpelt looked at him with a grin. "Oh, just bewitched her. She got her powers, and then left the sod, taking with her anything she could get her hands on. Don't blame her, meself..."

As Sam walked him back to his cell, he shut Rumpelt away as he opened up Adam's gate. The violently hung over squire crawled out of his cell, then up the stairs, disappearing. "I'll be back for you sometime!" Sam called to Rumpelt.

He knew what this meant. It happened before, it was sure to happen again. Left alone for who knew how long. Vora was upstairs with the boys, and Rumps was down here by himself. He sat in his usual corner, and whistled himself to sleep.

The next morning, Rumpelt awoke, arms around the cell bars.

"Vora..." he mumbled, until he realized he was leaning up against a cold bar, and not a warm, sweet, pretty girl. He let himself slump back down, laying on the cold, hard ground. He heaved a heavy, angry sigh, preparing to serve another long, lonesome day by himself.

Rumpelt sat there, drawing spirals in the dust that had gathered on the floor surrounding him, then he whistled more, but the loneliness was eating him alive. It was consuming him like an animal. He just wondered how long Vora would stay away, or how long Adam would confine her in her own prison. It seemed like what he would do. He would probably go as far as to chose someone else to bring Rumpelt his morning, afternoon, and evening meals.

Luckily, the Golden One was wrong. Vora came back down the next morning to bring him breakfast, but she was accompanied by Adam. The same with lunch and dinner; For the upcoming few weeks. Not even a word of hello. She slid his plate to him, yearning, loving, missing look in her eyes, and she would turn and leave; Adam was watching the pair's exchanged looks, words like a hawk.


	7. Chapter 7

Then one night, Sam brought her down. She smiled, as she cooed "I've missed speaking to you, Rumpelt. How have you been?" she slid him the plate, as Rumpeltstlskin could see Sam wandering around, trying to make himself invisible.

"I've been good my dear. I've missed you voice so." he hummed. He had a love-lust grin plastered upon his face. "Darling..." he ran his thumb down her cheek.

She stood up, as did he, and he knew she was coming in for a hug. It was usual of her, but what she had done next was not through the bars, but through the heart. She buried her face into his open chest, and he set his chin on her head. He could feel her move, and felt her place a small kiss on his sternum.

"I love you, Rumpelt." she murmured. "I wish you could get out of this prison. I want you to run free with me."

A tear dripped down his eye. She was showing real compassion toward him. Not magic, but real, true love for the man. It dripped out of his left eye, he saw it plummet and land on her head. It was sparkling with flecks of gold. She looked up, feeling the wetness, and saw yet another streak of gold had been lifted from his face. She had found a key. Compassion.

Another tear fell, but this one did not uncover his darling face. He looked down at her. Not being very tall himself, Vora was small. Almost hobbit like, except much sweeter on the eyes.

"I love you very much so, my darling." he replied. Vora held his hand in hers, through the bars.

Soon, Sam told her "Vora, I'm sorry about this, but the King told me not to leave you down here for too long..." She sighed, then told Rumpelt "I'll be back tomorrow." She tried to smile as she left the poor thing in his 'Cage'.

Sleeping in the cold bed alone that night, Vora lay on her side, watching the trees sway in the dark, as she listened to the 3 squires snore like animals.

"I'll figure out something...I know I will..." She was referring to Rumpelt. She /had/ to get him out. And there /had/ to be /someway/ of letting the towns-people see how nice a man he really was. So she made mental plans to go before the King tomorrow.

Vora dressed in her nicest gown before she took Rumpelt's breakfast to him, leaving no time to do so afterword. He questioned her on it, being as this gown was a vibrant ruby shade of red, and she usually wore pale blue's or green's or something of the like.

She simply told him, "I have a 'date'." He looked up instantly as he asked "With whom?"

"The King. It's not really a date...more so, a get-together. I need to discuss something with him." He was relieved to know the ruler of their kingdom was not about to steal his woman. A squire was easy to dispose of for a while, but not a King.

He ate rather quickly, not leaving time to really question her on what she was going to the King for. Unbeknownst to him, it would be beneficial to the silly Imp.


End file.
